reboot

I have to make a confession: I’ve never played a Thief game. Yes, I am ashamed. I know the first-person stealth series has a sterling reputation. I know of its protagonist, a shadowy cynic named Garrett, but I’ve never gotten around to exploring the Victorian era-inspired world. Established in 1998, it was a franchise that passed me by as I transitioned from high school to college. But now, thanks to Eidos Montreal, I have a second chance to get into the title.

The studio that resurrected the Deus Ex series in 2011 appears to have worked the same magic on this legendary franchise. What I found out through my four hours with the game is that the Thief reboot is accessible for newcomers. Novices don’t need to play through the previous games (though it will help them appreciate the mythology and world); they can jump in and get lost in the plot and city.

In my hands-on time, I played through the prologue and three chapters. (There are eight in all.) Here are my thoughts:

The Mortal Kombat reboot is being released April 19, and Bay Area fans have a chance to play it a little early this weekend. There’s going to be a specially designed Mortal Kombat truck rolling through the streets and stopping at local Best Buys this weekend. (Let’s hope it doesn’t rain that much.) You have to be at least 17 years old to have some hands-on time with the game. Other than that, you just have to be at the following locations at these times: